People are naturally afraid of new.?Sure, some people like new stuff. Some people want to be on the bleeding edge.
But most people are just fine with how things are today, how they will be tomorrow, and how they will end up being later. (Those people don’t usually work in creative arts.)
As artists, we get bored. We get tired of the same old stuff, and we desire to do new things.
My pastor, Pete Wilson, was talking to us the other day about how our ministry will never grow unless we take the audacious dreams God gave us and we start chasing them.
[quote]Growth will happen in our organizations very incrementally unless we toss out some crazy ideas and run after them relentlessly.[/quote]Growth will happen in our organizations very incrementally unless we toss out some crazy ideas and run after them relentlessly. We want growth. So we need to make some audacious dreams happen.
How do we do it, and how do we bring our leadership on board with those audacious dreams?
Have the New Ideas
First, we have to have the ideas. Discovering those game changing ideas can happen so many different ways depending on who we are and what type of toolbox you bring to work each day.
But the truth is, when we have a wild idea we know it.
The wild ones keep us awake at night.
They play with our emotions.
They probably scare us a little bit and incite the resistance to keep us from achieving them for fear they may actually work.
Testing
[quote]Data helps people who may be less vision-driven to understand what we are doing.[/quote]Second, we have to do a little testing. Before we can go and present these ideas we need some data. Data helps people who may be less vision-driven to understand what we are doing. Data changes these ideas from being strictly emotional to being?audacious, emotional, and crazy enough that they scare people into believing.
Testing internally helps find the holes and issues. In order to really build momentum you risk momentum. Data helps eliminate a portion of the risk.?How we test may require some creativity, but testing will help us build our case for how this idea will work.
Define the Why
Next we need to define the why. Leadership is going to want to know why they are leveraging momentum and resources on an idea. Defining the why changes the conversation from this idea being hair-brained to being necessary. Even necessary ideas are scary when you first hear them.
Eliminate Land Mines
After we have defined the why we need to eliminate the land mines. Every idea has land mines and potholes in its way. The more we can eliminate or identify on the front end, the less risk we ask others to take. Eliminating land mines gives our ideas enough runway to get off the ground.
[quote]No idea is foolproof, so when we don?t take the time to find out what could kill the idea, we sabotage our own progress.[/quote]No idea is foolproof, so when we don?t take the time to find out what could kill the idea, we sabotage our own progress. The more failure points we identify, the better chance we have to answer questions from our leaders ? questions they should ask ? when we?re presenting ideas that scare them in the first place.
Cast Vision
When we walk into the room to present this idea, the same idea that has kept us awake, we have to remember there is a chance others won’t be as excited right off the bat.
That?s why it?s so important to cast vision for this idea with passion and confidence.
Be bold.
We have done the work to get to this meeting. We should feel confident enough in the work we?ve done around the idea to present it with confidence and passion. A huge part of casting vision for an idea is knowing how it fits inside our organization’s vision. And, if it doesn’t, why it should. Vision is important and it?s a common language that helps us understand the importance of trying something new.
Tenacity, Respect, Readiness
Finally, be tenacious, respectful, and ready to move forward.
Be tenacious with this idea. It?s new and it?s fragile. It needs a champion who?s passionate enough to resuscitate it when it confronts death. But it also needs a leader who knows when it?s time to let go.
As a creative artist, it?s important to remember if our idea isn?t embraced, it doesn?t mean we?re rejected. Be respectful. Leaders lead through a different lens that we may not be aware of. So we don’t know other conflicting issue that could prevent this idea from being facilitated.
[quote]If our idea isn?t accepted, we can’t let it change our approach to our job.[/quote]Finally, it?s so important to be ready to move forward ? regardless of the final decision. If our idea isn?t accepted, we can’t let it change our approach to our job. In fact, we need to use these feelings as fuel for even better ideas.
The Starting Line
And if our idea is accepted, we haven?t reached the finish line.?This is the starting line and we need to go to work making this idea happen.
Don’t stop dreaming, your ideas are going to be the very thing that makes the difference in your organization. They need them, and we need them so we can all grow better.
